1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a functions inspecting system, particularly to a functions inspecting system by which the functions of a plurality of inspected appliances having electronic circuits can be inspected at the same time even if the appliances differ in type from each other.
A conventional functions inspecting system inspects whether or not an appliance which may be a printed circuit board has a defective component part or a defective wiring or can perform a prescribed function. The system can inspect the function of the printed circuit board of a prescribed type at one time, but cannot inspect the functions of printed circuit boards of two or more mutually different types at the same time. FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of the system in which a first inspection unit 2 for inspecting a first item, a second inspection unit 4 for inspecting a second item and a third inspection unit 6 for inspecting a third item are disposed in series with each other so that the printed circuit board 10 conveyed on a belt conveyor 8 or the like is inspected by the inspection units sequentially. The functions or the like of the printed circuit board 10 of the prescribed type can thus be inspected by the inspection units 2, 4 and 6 as the board is conveyed on the belt conveyor 8 or the like. The inspecting functions of the inspection units 2, 4 and 6 can be replaced with others to inspect a printed circuit board of a different type.
Howerver, since the convnetional function inspecting system can inspect the printed circuit board 10 of the prescribed type but cannot inspect printed circuit boards of mutually different types at the same time, the functions of the inspection units 2, 4 and 6 of the system need to be replaced with others if a printed circuit board different in type from the board 10 of the prescribed type is to be inspected by the system. Throughout the period of the replacement, the system can perform no inspection. This is a problem. Besides, it takes a considerably long time to execute the replacement. This is also a problem.
The present invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a functions inspecting system which can perform inspection in a shorteded period and can inspect appliances of mutually different types at the same time.
The function inspecting system provided in accordance with the present invention comprises a plurality of the inspection units capable of inspecting the functions of appliances having electronic circuits; a distributive conveyance means capable of conveying in each of the appliances onto any of the inspection units and conveying out the already-inspected appliance from the inspection unit; and a control means capable of reading signs provided on the appliances and indicative of various kinds of information on the appliances, to control the operation of the distributive conveyance means to convey in the appliances onto the inspection units corresponding to the appliances to inspect them.
When the appliance is conveyed to the function inspecting system provided in accordance with the present invention,.the sign provided on the appliance is read by the control means so that the means finds out from the type of the appliance which of the inspection units corresponds to the appliance to inspect it. The control means then gives a command to the distributive conveyance means to convey the appliance onto the inspection unit corresponding to the appliance to inspect it. The appliance is thus conveyed onto the corresponding inspection unit by the distributive conveyance means and inspected by the unit. After the appliance is inspected by the unit, the appliance is conveyed out from the function inspecting system by the distributive conveyance means.
Since the function inspecting system has the above-described constitution and operation, the system can inspect a plurality of types of appliances in nearly the same place. For that reason, the period of the inspection of the appliances is shortened. Since the system can inspect a plurality of types of appliances at the same time, the system is appropriate to inspect a large number of types of appliances, the number of which is relatively small. In addition, the system can inspect a large number of appliances of the same type in a greatly shortened period.